Chapter 63: Passive

Deep within the Fire Spirit Mine in Nanshan's rift valley.

Hua Changxi lay prone on a stone platform one meter wide, two meters long, and half a meter high, crafted entirely from top-grade Fire Spirit Stones, her eyes closed as she cultivated.

Moments later, Hua Changxi, her brows tightly furrowed, opened her eyes; gazing at the data before her vision, her face was filled with gravity and confusion.

[Realm: Core Formation Stage 1.35 million/10 million]

A month and a half had passed since she advanced to the Core Formation Stage.

Upon reaching the Core Formation Stage, her cultivation speed had increased somewhat, rising from absorbing and gaining one thousand Spirit Qi points per double-hour to gaining two thousand points per double-hour.

She could cultivate for eleven double-hours a day, meaning she should gain 22,000 cultivation points daily.

Over thirty-five days, she ought to have gained 770,000 cultivation points.

Yet now, she had only gained half that amount!

During the Qi Refining and Qi Sea stages, absorbing Spirit Qi caused the data to increase; once the Spirit Qi accumulated within the body reached a sufficient quantity, advancement happened automatically.

She had grown accustomed to this cultivation model and had once believed cultivation was such an easy matter.

But after advancing to the Core Formation Stage, this model no longer worked!

She absorbed Spirit Qi, yet the data did not rise.

"Where exactly has the problem arisen?"

Hua Changxi felt a pang of panic in her heart; with no one to consult, she could only grope her way forward, yet after more than half a month of fumbling exploration, she still had not found a single clue.

If cultivation went awry, not only would her realm fail to improve, but crucially, time would be wasted.

Gu Jinfan's appearance, and the possibility that the Asura Gate had set its sights on the Creation Pomegranate, filled Hua Changxi with a sense of urgency.

With no one behind her to rely on, no power, and no manpower, the only thing that could give her confidence was diligently improving her cultivation; as long as her strength was great enough, she would fear no coercion or harm from others.

Now that her cultivation refused to rise, she was truly anxious.

Hua Changxi's thoughts were somewhat chaotic, preventing her from calming her mind to cultivate, so she exited the Fire Spirit Mine; as she left the rift valley, she spotted the personnel stationed outside.

These people had been arranged by Jiang Ye and Zhuo Fan; they counted as inner-circle personnel, while additional patrols were stationed around the outer perimeter of Nanshan.

After secretly observing these men for a while and seeing that their patrols were reasonably thorough, knowing that You Lao and his three companions took the Fire Spirit Mine very seriously, Hua Changxi felt slightly reassured.

The day after Gu Jinfan appeared, You Lao and his three companions had consumed the Fire-attribute Creation Pill, forged Fire-attribute Spirit Roots, and then left the Medicine Valley to seek out cultivation techniques.

Now, over a month later, it was unknown how their progress had fared.

Hua Changxi still very much hoped the four would obtain cultivation techniques soon, for to truly possess the Fire Spirit Mine, relying solely on some martial artists for guard duty was certainly insufficient.

Only if You Lao and his three companions became cultivators and enhanced their strength would they have the power to contend should outsiders discover the Fire Spirit Mine in the future.

This was the fundamental purpose behind her offering the Creation Pills to trade with You Lao and his three companions.

Only cultivators could protect the spirit mine.

As for herself, she could support You Lao and his three companions from behind the scenes, but she actually had no desire to participate in the frontline fighting; what she most wanted was to be a highly skilled professional possessing irreplaceable value, far removed from strife.

A high-grade Alchemist was perfect.

Hua Changxi returned to the Medicine Valley; on her way back to the dormitory, she encountered two laborers, and from their conversation learned that You Lao and his three companions had returned, so she quickened her pace up Xishan.

Upon reaching halfway up the mountain, Hua Changxi spotted Guo Yu from afar; just as she prepared to approach and greet him, she noticed something amiss in Guo Yu's demeanor.

Skulking about, looking east and west, his expression somewhat tense—this appearance of Guo Yu instantly brought a word to Hua Changxi's mind: surveillance!

Surveillance of whom?

The only outsider with free access to the Xishan stone cave was her!

Hua Changxi knew clearly in her heart that her cooperation with You Lao and his three companions was built upon interests, and their relationship was hardly solid.

Yet now, just as their cooperation had begun, at a time when both sides needed to build trust, they had adopted a posture of concealment and wariness, which made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Regarding other people's secrets, Hua Changxi was actually not very interested, but since You Lao and his three companions had sent Guo Yu to conduct surveillance, the matters they were discussing were ten out of ten times related to her.

She could accept that You Lao and his three companions had their own little schemes, but she did not wish to be plotted against; especially after the incident where she had nearly been betrayed by Yang Chuan, she actually no longer trusted these four very much.

Thinking thus, Hua Changxi flashed aside, circled around to avoid Guo Yu, and arrived at the side of the stone cave.

After advancing to the Core Formation Stage, Hua Changxi's five senses had become sharper; she did not need to get too close, for as long as she focused her attention, she could hear the conversation inside the stone cave.

Inside the stone cave, You Lao spoke with urgent tone: "Is the cultivation technique in Lu Zhiyuan's hands genuine?"

Zhuo Fan affirmed: "Mm, Lu Zhiyuan copied the opening chapter 'Qi Guiding Technique' of the Five Elements Art for me; I cultivated in the Lu family's backyard for a month, and now I can already sense Fire Spirit Qi."

"You didn't see Lu Zhiyuan's current appearance; he is more than ten years older than You Lin, yet he looks young now, appearing to be only around forty years of age."

Yang Chuan's expression shook: "Really?"

Zhuo Fan: "I saw it with my own eyes; of course it is true."

Yang Chuan laughed: "Then once we become cultivators, we can become young too."

Though he was not the eldest among the four, his appearance was the most aged, and this matter had always weighed on his mind.

Jiang Ye looked at Zhuo Fan: "You haven't said what Lu Zhiyuan's conditions are yet?"

Zhuo Fan rubbed his nose: "At first I offered ten thousand Fire Spirit Stones; later, after he gave me the Qi Guiding Technique and saw that I could indeed mobilize Spirit Qi, that fellow suddenly demanded an exorbitant price, saying I must give him 100,000 Fire Spirit Stones every month."

Hearing this, You Lao, Jiang Ye, and Yang Chuan all frowned simultaneously.

Jiang Ye looked at Zhuo Fan: "Did you tell him about the Fire Spirit Mine?"

Zhuo Fan's expression was somewhat uneasy: "It wasn't intentional; it's just that Lu Zhiyuan was too cunning, knowing I couldn't stand provocation, he deliberately used words to goad me."

Hearing these words, You Lao and the other two sighed in unison.

"You..."

Zhuo Fan also knew he had done wrong: "Don't scold me; I regret it too. Moreover, Lu Zhiyuan said that in some time he wants to come over to the Medicine Valley to take a look."

You Lao's expression changed instantly: "What does he want to come to the Medicine Valley for?"

Jiang Ye's face also looked extremely grim: "Is Lu Zhiyuan trying to scheme against the Fire Spirit Mine?"

Yang Chuan also grew anxious: "That girl Hua Changxi is not easy to deal with; if she finds out you've led an outsider here, the consequences will be dire."

Zhuo Fan waved his hand with brazen indifference: "If she knows, she knows; Lu Zhiyuan said that once he finishes his current affairs, he will come over to spar with Hua Changxi."

"If he is not a match for Hua Changxi, we will simply give him one hundred thousand spirit stones every month."

"If Hua Changxi is not a match for him, then the Fire Spirit Mine must be redistributed."

"In short, our share cannot be missed. Lu Zhiyuan wants to test Hua Changxi's depth, so let him try."

The three of them, You Lao and the others, fell silent.

Knowing he had mishandled matters, Zhuo Fan hastily brought out the Qi Induction Technique: "Lu Zhiyuan and I have an agreement; first, we provide the Qi Induction Technique. After he comes over to inspect it, he will give us all the subsequent cultivation methods at once."

Outside the stone cave, Hua Changxi's expression was as gloomy as still water; she took several deep breaths to suppress her anger and did not rush into the cave to settle accounts with Zhuo Fan.

Cooperating with these four people had been rash on her part.

She should not have been prejudiced, assuming that because You Lao possessed decent character, his friends would be the same.

Now, she was far too passive!

At this moment, Zhuo Fan's voice sounded again from within the stone cave.

"Do you know? Trouble has arisen again over at Mount Wuzhi in Qingzhou."

"What trouble?"

"It was caused by that pomegranate we seized. You all know how much commotion the pomegranate's appearance caused. After we took it, someone leaked the news, claiming that Mount Wuzhi is a blessed land of caves and heavens where strange spiritual medicines and spirit fruits frequently emerge."

"Soon, this news attracted the attention of all parties, who dispatched their disciples to investigate."

"This investigation revealed something extraordinary: they discovered that the spiritual energy at Mount Wuzhi is dense, making it highly suitable for cultivators to practice."

"Consequently, every faction seeks to claim Mount Wuzhi for themselves. It is said that the Tai Su Palace, the San Qing Palace, the Demon Suppression Bureau, the Asura Sect, and several old-established noble families have all mobilized."

"Lu Zhiyuan told me that beneath Mount Wuzhi lie at least five large spirit mines. He did not come to Medicine Valley because he went to Mount Wuzhi instead."

"It remains unknown who will ultimately possess Mount Wuzhi?"